“In my last year on Wall Street my bonus was $3.6 million — and I was angry because it wasn’t big enough. I was 30 years old, had no children to raise, no debts to pay, no philanthropic goal in mind. I wanted more money for exactly the same reason an alcoholic needs another drink: I was addicted.”

So begins this gripping account from Sam Polk in an opinion piece for the New York Times. Polk is a former hedge-fund trader, and self-described “money addict”, and he details in eye-opening terms what it meant for him to be addicted to money like a drug, and to work in a place like Wall Street, which fed his addiction. Like all accounts of addiction, it seems simultaneously alien and frighteningly possible.

Thankfully, Polk is now off the wagon. It doesn’t say if he’s a Christian, but it’s doubtless that he’s felt what’s described in Scripture:

“For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evils. It is through this craving that some have wandered away from the faith and pierced themselves with many pangs.” (1 Tim 6:10)

Also, related to the corrosive nature of money, is this post on the Huffington Post from American pastor, Rick Henderson.

While the post is a few months old, Snippets only saw it this week, and we’re glad we did. Along the way, he addresses Joyce Meyer and Joel Osteen, what he thinks of their teaching, and the real problem with the prosperity gospel.

“I used to think that their error was so blatantly obvious that they could just be ignored. I was wrong. They are massively growing in popularity in the evangelical world and are seen as credible and helpful. Before I’m inundated with questioning emails I want to share why I distrust these two and think you should as well. So, don’t shoot me — at least not yet.”

Lastly this week, is a story of how God can work through anything to bring life and light to those who live in darkness.

It’s a transcript from an interview with Richard Morgan, a former atheist apologist, who was converted, of all things, through a Richard Dawkins message board, and, despite vitriol and hate, by the one lone Christian who faithfully witnessed on it.